Government of Canada taking action to address violence committed in the name of "honour"

OTTAWA, Nov. 29, 2012 /CNW/ - The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, today called on Canadians to join the worldwide 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence and reaffirmed the Government's commitment to ending violence committed in the name of "honour".

"Our Government recognizes the need for Canadians to come together and take action to prevent acts of violence against women and girls committed in the name of 'honour'," said Minister Ambrose. "That is why our Government recently issued a Call for Proposals to increase opportunities for community organizations to better assist women and girls addressing these forms of violence."

The Call for Proposals will result in an increase of Government of Canada funding, through Status of Women Canada, for projects that address violence committed in the name of "honour".

Minister Ambrose highlighted an ongoing project with the Indo-Canadian Women's Association of Edmonton entitled Elimination of Harmful Cultural Practices: A Community-Centred Approach for Education and Action. It will empower immigrant girls and young women and engage community organizations, the legal community and law-enforcement agencies in Edmonton to better respond to violence committed in the name of "honour" through workshops, presentations, and the development of a resource manual.

"With support from the Government of Canada, we are significantly improving the outlook for young immigrant girls and women in Edmonton," said Ms. Miriam Thomas, President of the Indo-Canadian Women's Association. "We are building momentum for lasting change."

Minister Ambrose also recently commended the important work by the Indo-Canadian Women's Association of Edmonton in organizing their two-day conference "In the Name of Honour: Cultural Practices that Hurt Women".

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence commence on November 25, with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and conclude on December 10 with International Human Rights Day. The campaign also observes significant dates such as December 6, Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.

The Government of Canada is committed to supporting projects that yield concrete results for women and girls in Canada while strengthening families, communities and the country. Through Status of Women Canada, the government's support for community-based projects has nearly doubled since 2006-2007, from $10.8 million to close to $19 million, its highest level ever. Since 2007, more than $54 million in funding has been approved for projects that seek to address violence against women and girls.

SOURCE: Status of Women Canada